Using participatory impact diagrams to evaluate a community development project in Kenya

Participatory approaches for impact assessment are increasingly becoming popular with development organisations for engaging multiple stakeholders. We present our use of participatory impact diagrams as an evaluation tool within a mixed methods impact assessment of several drought-reduction interventions in Kenya. Results show that because men and women have different roles, their experiences of interventions vary. We discuss how this methodology encouraged communities to describe various intervention outcomes including unintended impacts, often overlooked by conventional impact assessment approaches. Methodological challenges included the integration of quantitative data; opportunities for its application within the wider discipline of monitoring and evaluation are considered.

Utilisation des diagrammes d'impact participatives pour évaluer un projet de développement communautaire au Kenya

Les approches participatives de l’évaluation de l'impact sont de plus en plus populaires parmi les organisations de développement pour faire participer des parties prenantes multiples. Nous présentons notre utilisation des diagrammes participatifs des impacts comme un outil d’évaluation dans le cadre d'une évaluation multi-méthodes de l'impact de plusieurs interventions de réduction des inondations au Kenya. Les résultats montrent que, les hommes et les femmes ayant des rôles différents, leurs expériences des interventions varient. Nous discutons de la manière dont cette méthodologie a encouragé les communautés à décrire divers résultats des interventions, y compris les impacts non désirés, souvent oubliés par les approches conventionnelles d’évaluation de l'impact. Parmi les défis méthodologiques figurait l'intégration des données quantitatives ; les occasions de les mettre en application dans le cadre de la discipline du suivi et de l’évaluation sont examinées.

Utilizando diagramas participativos de impacto para evaluar un proyecto de desarrollo comunitario en Kenia

Con el objetivo de involucrar a diversos actores, las organizaciones de desarrollo utilizan cada vez más los enfoques participativos durante la realización de evaluaciones de impacto. En este artículo, las autoras presentan una herramienta de evaluación que utilizaron en el marco de una valoración de impacto: los diagramas de impacto participativo. Éstos incorporan métodos mixtos y fueron aplicados a varias acciones realizadas para reducir los efectos de la sequía en Kenia. Los resultados demuestran que, dado los distintos roles ejercidos por los hombres y las mujeres, sus opiniones en relación a las acciones llevadas a cabo difieren. Las autoras analizan cómo esta metodología promovió que las comunidades describieran los distintos resultados de las intervenciones, incluyendo aquellos impactos no previstos, los cuales a menudo son ignorados por los tradicionales métodos de evaluación de impacto. Entre los retos metodológicos enfrentados destacó la integración de datos cuantitativos. El artículo analiza las oportunidades que existen de aplicar esta metodología en un contexto de monitoreo y evaluación más amplio.

Usando diagramas de impacto participativas para avaliar um projeto de desenvolvimento comunitário em Quênia

As abordagens participativas de avaliação de impacto estão se tornando cada vez mais populares entre as organizações de desenvolvimento em seu objetivo de engajar múltiplos colaboradores. Apresentamos aqui nosso uso de diagramas participativos de impacto como uma ferramenta de avaliação dentro de uma avaliação de impacto com métodos variados sobre várias intervenções para redução da seca no Quênia. Os resultados mostram que pelo fato de homens e mulheres terem diferentes papéis, suas experiências de intervenção variam. Discutimos como essa metodologia incentivou comunidades a descreverem vários resultados de intervenção, inclusive impactos não-intencionais, frequentemente negligenciados por abordagens de avaliação de impacto convencionais. Os desafios metodológicos incluíram a integração de dados quantitativos; são consideradas também as oportunidades para sua aplicação dentro da disciplina mais geral de monitoramento e avaliação.     

Changing consciousness: autoethnographic mapping in a dialog group

This article introduces a pedagogical tool for raising critical consciousness and nurturing resistance to discrimination. ‘Autoethnographic mapping,’ integrating guided cognitive mapping and autoethnographies, has been implemented for a decade now within the framework of a college course occasioning dialogue between Palestinian Arab and Jewish students in Israel. Participants using the tool in an extended encounter between students from groups embroiled in political conflict have begun to theorize the microgeogrpahies and stories of their everyday existence, gaining nuanced, non-standard insights into how conflict informs lives and selves. Employing the technique in the contact zone of guided encounters, students tend to re-inscribe identities upon a socio-political context, discovering the fluidity of belonging and destabilizing discursive structures. The paper outlines the course, sketches the tool and its theoretical underpinnings and describes some of the results it’s achieved through a spectrum of illustrative instances.     

Ethical Implications of Methodological Settings in Arts Management Research: The Case of Performance Evaluation

In this article, we analyze research on the evaluation of the artistic outcome of arts organizations. Inspired by Wicks and Freeman's new pragmatic approach to organization studies, we give an ethical question a central role in our analysis: to what extent is current research able to serve the needs of individual arts organizations and their communities? Our results highlight the influence of research traditions on the ethical implications of performance evaluation research. To serve the arts world, further research should aim at in-depth understanding of the specific complexity of different contexts rather than at decontextualized generalization of simplified universal principles.     

The cognitive interview: Much more than simply “try again”

Abstract

In the legal context, the elicitation of complete and accurate statements from witnesses and victims is essential. The Cognitive Interview (CI) was devised to improve eyewitnesses' memory by using mnemonic strategies which ask witnesses to think about what happened and encourage them to make as many retrieval attempts as possible. However, no known study has experimentally examined whether (or not) the CI superiority effect is something more than merely asking a witness to retrieve information four times. The aim of this study was to compare the recall obtained by means of the CI - in which mnemonics are used - to that obtained as a result of asking subjects to make a multiple free recall task - without using mnemonics - in a single interview session. It was expected that significant differences would still exist. Results confirmed this hypothesis.     

The relationship between psychopathy and moral development in young sex offenders

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral development (moral judgement and empathy) in 85 Dutch male sex offenders between 13 and 23 years of age. Questions were asked about general life situations, sexual situations with morally relevant features, and questions about the offender's own abuse victim. A weak negative association was found between psychopathy and mature moral judgement, but only when questions involved the offender's own abuse victim. Weak to moderate negative associations were found between psychopathy and cognitive and affective empathy in general and sexual situations, but not in the own abuse victim situations. Further analysis revealed moderate negative associations between psychopathy and affective empathy in the own abuse victim situations, but only when an unfamiliar victim was involved. This is the first study, to our knowledge, showing that juvenile sex offenders with high levels of psychopathy have context-specific moral deficits, and that in this group both cognitive and affective empathy are related to psychopathy.     

The Chromis programme: from conception to evaluation

Abstract

Offenders with high levels of psychopathic traits present particular challenges to the criminal justice system. These offenders are at high risk of re-offending and have a range of complex issues impacting on their response to treatment. This paper outlines the development, structure and implementation of the Chromis programme: a programme designed specifically to reduce the risk of violence in offenders with high levels of psychopathic traits. It outlines the context in which the programme currently runs and the challenges faced in evaluating its impact. Initial findings and plans for evaluation are discussed.     

Modifying the cognitive interview: countenancing forensic application by enhancing practicability

The UK investigative interview model advocates police officers use the cognitive interview (CI). However, research has indicated that many officers perceive the CI as too cumbersome, complex, and time consuming for some types of crime. With this in mind we investigate the efficacy of two CI procedures, which have been substantially modified to enhance forensic practicability and retain the empirically demonstrated CI superiority effect. Employing the mock witness paradigm, both are compared to the procedure currently taught to UK police officers. Participant's memorial performance revealed no differences across interview conditions for the amount of correct and incorrect recall. However, those interviewed using the modified procedures confabulated less and were more accurate. Considering type of information recalled (person, action, object, and surrounding), no differences were found across conditions for correct or confabulated type recall. However, the two modified CIs elicited fewer incorrect person and object information items. Further, they were shorter in duration than the current procedure. Hence, for frontline less serious crime, or in time critical situations, the modified procedures may be viable alternatives. These findings and their implications are discussed.     

Interprofessional and interagency training for working with young people with harmful sexual behaviours: An evaluation of outcomes

Abstract

This study evaluates the outcomes of short interagency training courses provided by six Local Safeguarding Children Boards in England. The aim was to develop practical skills in recognising and responding to the needs of children with harmful sexual behaviour in an interagency context. The courses all employed interactive learning and teaching methods as well as presentations of case studies, research findings and statutory guidance. Professionals (n=147) from a range of agencies participated in the evaluation. Their attitudes, knowledge and self-confidence were assessed using a specially designed 20-item self-report scale. Scores at registration 6 weeks in advance and at the start and end of the course were compared in a double-baseline, time–series design. There was strong evidence of overall improvements in scores on most of the scale items, which are attributable to the course. However, concerns are also raised about the small numbers of criminal justice professionals participating compared to child welfare professionals.     

Psychological profile of sex offenders using weapons in their crimes

Abstract

A sample of 1533 sex offenders was examined for clinical characteristics associated with weapon use in their crimes. A total of 24.9% used weapons, most often knives (50.1%), with 13.6% using multiple weapons. Weapon-users were a very disturbed group, who showed a significantly higher prevalence than non-users of psychoses, suicide attempts, alcoholism, drug addiction and abuse, personality disorders, psychopathy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cognitive impairment and violent criminal histories. The weapon-users recidivated more often than non-users and appeared in court on 8.7 separate occasions compared to 2.9 for non-users in an average follow-up of 21.5 years. The best predictors of weapon use were total violent offence convictions, sadism diagnoses and adult versus child victims. The importance of examining weapon use in assessing sex offenders is discussed.     

Current cognitive distortion theory and research: An internalist approach to cognition

Abstract

This review examines contemporary cognitive distortion theory and research relating to sexual offenders. In particular, this review highlights that researchers—to date—have tended to adopt an internalist approach to sexual offenders’ cognition which views offence-supportive cognitive activity as occurring solely within the mind. This review indicates that literature and research examining sexual offenders’ cognitions has benefited a great deal from adopting internalist approaches to cognition. From this review of the literature, implications are presented for how such knowledge may be used in practical applications with sexual offenders (i.e. a collaborative enquiry of sexual offenders’ cognition). Suggestions are also made for how researchers and professionals may be able to extend the meaning of cognition for sexual offenders, and expand upon our current internalist approaches to sexual offenders’ cognition.